Einstein On: Genetic Sequencing, Dr. Harry Ostrer

Harry Ostrer, M.D., discusses how genetic sequencing is changing the course of treatment for common diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease by identifying individuals at higher risk. It can also play a role in personalizing treatment: sequencing the genome of a cancer, for example, can yield information that leads to personalized, targeted therapy. He addresses concerns that genetic information can affect employability or insurability and reviews existing safeguards. Dr. Ostrer is a professor of pathology and of genetics at Einstein and director of genetic and genomic testing in clinical pathology at Montefiore Medical Center. (December 11, 2012)